News + Media

	In the News May 4, 2020 MIT Africa's Ari Jacobovits helps produce Covid-19 hackathon Ari Jacobovits, managing director of the MIT Africa program, helped organize a hackathon on Covid-19 with collectives from around the world—drawing from universities, industry, government, and NGOs, among others. CIS research affiliate Claude Grunitsky covered the story in his publication True Africa.
	In the News May 1, 2020 China's modern military strategy in historical perspective NCUSCR Podcast In an interview with NCUSCR President Steve Orlins, Taylor Fravel discusses his motivations for and key discoveries from writing, "Active Defense: China's Military Strategy Since 1949."
	In the News April 30, 2020 Outsiders consider possibility of chaos in North Korea Foster KlugAP News Vipin Narang quoted: “The million-dollar question is: When do you invoke the OPLAN and what indicators do you rely on to do so? Because one country’s ‘securing the country’ operation can look to the other nation like an ‘invasion plan.’ And then all hell can break loose,” said Vipin Narang, a North Korea nuclear specialist at MIT.
	News@E40 April 29, 2020 SHASS Infinite Mile Award recipients in CIS CIS is pleased to announce Alicia Raun and Fatih Basaga are two recipients of the 2020 SHASS Infinite Mile Awards. Award recipients are recognized for making exceptional contributions to their academic units, the School, and the Institute.
	In the News April 29, 2020 Where is Kim Jong Un? WBUR Here and Now North Korea hasn't reported a single case of Covid-19 and the pandemic coincides with the absence of the country's leader, Kim Jon Un. Jim Walsh offers insight into the situation.
	In the News April 28, 2020 'War and disease travel together': Why the pandemic push for a global cease-fire is gaining ground Deirdre ShesgreenUSA Today Barry Posen quoted: "The disease caused by the coronavirus is weakening all of the great and middle powers more or less equally," he said. He said with no country likely to gain a meaningful military advantage from the pandemic, "the odds of a war between major powers will go down, not up."
	In the News April 28, 2020 Will the Covid-19 pandemic change national security? Peter DizikesMIT News As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to inflict huge damage around the world, international affairs experts are increasingly wondering: Will the virus make countries reconsider their national security strategies?
	In the News April 28, 2020 Low-yield warhead eliminates need for nuclear buildup, state says Dan LeoneDefense Daily Vipin Narang quoted: “What can the low yield [submarine launched ballistic missile] do that our current low yield nuclear systems cannot?” Vipin Narang of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology mused on Twitter. “Range and penetrate into downtown Moscow. Which doesn’t seem all that restrained.”
	Analysis + Opinion April 28, 2020 Don’t classify the FYDP; Budget transparency helps allies, taxpayers Miranda PriebeBreaking Defense Unclassified information about DoD’s current plans will help the country weigh options such as sustaining the current defense budget, shifting priorities within it or significantly shrinking it by rethinking the US approach to the world.
	News@E40 April 26, 2020 CIS awards 17 summer study grants Seventeen doctoral students in international affairs at MIT were awarded summer study grants. Each will receive up to $3,500. Sara Plana was awarded the first annual Guillemin prize. “The awards were made to an outstanding cohort of MIT students from across the Institute. We're so pleased that the appeal of these grants has broadened and students are responding,” said John Tirman, CIS executive director and principal research scientist.